The pettiness of our sports committee is going to cost us medals for Singapore. How can we have this type of people in the selecting committee, who put their own 'buay songness" above the glory of Singapore?

"In the case of the nomination put forward by Singapore Athletics (SA) for Soh Rui Yong's participation at the 2019 SEA Games, the selection committee has decided to reject SA's nomination.

SINGAPORE - Team Singapore is set to send its biggest overseas contingent for the Nov 30 to Dec 11 SEA Games in the Philippines - but two-time marathon champion Soh Rui Yong will not be on the plane to Manila.

The 27-year-old runner, who was responsible for 50 per cent of track and field's gold haul at the 2017 Games, was not among the 585 athletes in 49 sports that were listed in a media statement released by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) on Thursday (Aug 1) night.

The national Olympic body said: "The SNOC selection committee has deliberated carefully all nominations put forward by the NSAs (national sports associations) for their athletes for the upcoming SEA Games.

"In the case of the nomination put forward by Singapore Athletics (SA) for Soh Rui Yong's participation at the 2019 SEA Games, the selection committee has decided to reject SA's nomination.

"Since the 2017 SEA Games, there have been numerous instances where Soh has displayed conduct that falls short of the standards of attitude and behaviour that the SNOC expects of and holds its athletes to, considering that they are held up and seen as representatives of the country and as examples to our sporting youth.

"As such, the SNOC has decided to reject SA's nomination for his national representation at the 2019 SEA Games."

While these instances were not specifically listed, the SNOC and Soh have clashed on a number of occasions.

Ahead of the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, the athlete was given a formal warning by the SNOC over a breach of regulations regarding the promotion of personal sponsors on social media during the biennial Games.

He had also cut holes in his race vest before his victorious race in Kuala Lumpur, and reportedly upset sponsor 2XU, which terminated its sponsorship of Singapore Athletics four months later.

And in April this year, the SNOC served Soh a legal letter demanding that he publicly retract allegations against fellow marathoner Ashley Liew over an act of sportsmanship at the 2015 SEA Games. The SNOC had nominated Liew for an international award for this act.

Soh had also criticised the organisation on social media several times this year over its backing of Liew. On June 19, he had written: "The Singapore National Olympic Council should be ashamed at themselves for failing conduct a proper investigation of truth, and choosing rather to only speak with witnesses from one side in order to back up what they want to believe."

Soh told The Straits Times on Thursday night: "I'm disappointed that SNOC president Tan Chuan-Jin and his team have chosen to behave in such a petty manner. This is akin to primary school playground politics where kids go, 'I don't friend you already!' just because you say something they don't like.

"I consider winning medals for my country at SEA Games to be a national service. Since I no longer am bound to this duty, I look forward to exploring my potential at other marathons I've always wanted to race at, such as the Boston Marathon.

"I wish all my athletics team-mates all the best of luck in Manila and will be rooting for them always."

In March, Soh clocked 2hr 23min 42sec at the Seoul Marathon to rewrite the national record which had stood since 1995.

The time comfortably cleared the qualifying benchmark of the third-place result at the previous SEA Games, which was 2:31:52, and is also understood to be the second-best time in 2019 clocked by a South-east Asian marathoner.

New Zealand-born Thai runner Tony Payne holds the best time this season, with a 2:20:54 clocked at the Riga Marathon in Latvia in May.

Chay, who chairs the Athlete's Commission, said: "Athletes have rights, but with those rights come responsibilities. These include representing the sport, community and our nation with certain values, which include adhering to the athletes' code of coduct.

"At the last SEA Games, Rui Yong didn't do this... (and) his actions and comments had consequences."

SA president Tang Weng Fei echoed this view, saying: "I am a little surprised by this news, but not entirely because there was always this possibility because of the controversy he has been in.

"At the end of the day, an athlete's selection is based not just on performance, but how you represent the sport as well.

"I will need to discuss with Malik (Syed Abdul Malik Aljunied, executive director) and (vice-president of training and selection Ang) Peng Siong before we go through any appeal process."

Soh, however, said he had no intention of lodging an appeal, saying: "I don't wish to waste more time on unreasonable people at SNOC."

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It's like employee have a big argue with big boss. There is dispute on how company direction is going. The big boss thinking, I set the company rules and direction. How dare you small employee dares challenge me? The employee still around, but when there is future promotion, pay rise, bonus and etc. This employee will be the one losing out.

Sort of this line. So once the bridge is burnt, no point staying. So for Soh rui Yong case, the bridge is burnt. So yeah...

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That's SNOC excuse. Have to follow the the why he clash. He didn't behave inappropriately during any competition, sportmenship is present. He only clash with the committee decision. And ya, I don't believe in SNOC excuse.

It's like employee have a big argue with big boss. There is dispute on how company direction is going. The big boss thinking, I set the company rules and direction. How dare you small employee dares challenge me? The employee still around, but when there is future promotion, pay rise, bonus and etc. This employee will be the one losing out.

Sort of this line. So once the bridge is burnt, no point staying. So for Soh rui Yong case, the bridge is burnt. So yeah...

Problem is the boss or share holders is the whole of Singapore. The one making the decision is the middle management acting out on their own interest rather than the share holders. They decide to suspend a proven 'productive' employee becoz of his clash with them. Whether this employee broke any company's rule, it's still debatable.

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I like this guy. He's a straight shooter, much like myself in my first job Then later I learned office politics a.k.a. teamwork and getting along is also very important. And only then the advancement comes.

He needs to grow up and realize that behaviour like that won't be tolerated unless he is a real world class athlete, and even then. Even Schooling don't have that kind of attitude, with a greater level of achievement.

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I like this guy. He's a straight shooter, much like myself in my first job Then later I learned office politics a.k.a. teamwork and getting along is also very important. And only then the advancement comes.

He needs to grow up and realize that behaviour like that won't be tolerated unless he is a real world class athlete, and even then. Even Schooling don't have that kind of attitude, with a greater level of achievement.

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That's SNOC excuse. Have to follow the the why he clash. He didn't behave inappropriately during any competition, sportmenship is present. He only clash with the committee decision. And ya, I don't believe in SNOC excuse.

Problem is the boss or share holders is the whole of Singapore. The one making the decision is the middle management acting out on their own interest rather than the share holders. They decide to suspend a proven 'productive' employee becoz of his clash with them. Whether this employee broke any company's rule, it's still debatable.

IDK what committee decision you refer to as I don't follow the sport.

But I did read about how patently ridiculous accusations against another fellow runner who had won some award. His subsequent behavior in the light of evidence proving him wrong shows what kind of character he is.

What's the big deal about him? I don't see any national glory for the country even if he wins in the sea games. At least not any more than if we had bought another table tennis player.

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I had the privilege of meeting and working with him on some stuff some years back and I can vouch that aside from being a humble, disciplined and focused athlete, he is also someone who will stand up with integrity and on principle.

Perhaps in the local context, being vocal and standing up for others and yourself will always ruffle feathers at the top. Perhaps there could be a better way of handling his dissatisfaction, but I guess sometimes this boils down to a person's character and their personal self-belief. But going by the various incidents he's been involved in, it is always quite clear from whatever unfolded that he was never really the one 'at fault' at the first place and whatever he has commented publicly was not unfounded. (e.g. Volker Hermann in the SEA Games; Also, in the latest case it was Ashley Liew and SNOC that started the ball rolling with the legal suit and there is basis to dispute Ashley's claim).

It is unfortunate that there is perhaps a lot of underlying negative undercurrents within our sporting fraternity and the various associations due to the various politics and perhaps also the stakeholders/management. Another recent example was the Tae Kwon Do Federation which got itself embroiled with a lot of issues and suspension following the public disagreement with Ng Ming Wei.

Edited August 2, 2019 by Ronkovic

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Just be clear of what are the eligibility criteria to represent Singapore in the Games. Is it just meeting of standard like qualifying time or they are other criteria. Be more specific lah. Like must meet timing + no speeding tickets + no cheating on parking + no Geylang rendezvous etc

SPORTSMAN

Focus on your trade. If you run, please fun fast. If you swim, please swim fast. If you throw, please throw far. Anything outside your trade, please don't kaypoh lah. Why you care the fellow cheat or not, drug or not, got girlfriend or not etc. Somewhere, someone, some authority will deal them them somehow and someday